Hot-Bedding, Busing Employees Over the Border and Broken Promises

Press Release         Contact Casino Free NH:  603.504.2906
May 1, 2013                                                                                        
 
In Case You Missed It:
Hot-Bedding, Busing Employees Over the Border and Broken Promises

Concord – The House of Representatives heard concerns yesterday from labor leaders about the quality of jobs a casino would bring to New Hampshire.
 
Mark MacKenzie, President of the NH AFL-CIO shared a concern that many casinos nationally do not have a good track record.  He described “hot-bedding” as a common problem among low-wage casino workers who can’t afford housing. “Hot bedding” is a practice in which one worker uses a bed at night and then as they go to work another worker who came in from the night shift will sleep all day in the same bed.
 
MacKenzie, also described problems attracting local workers to low-wage jobs, leading casinos to bus in workers from surrounding towns and in our case maybe other states.
 
According to statistics shared at the hearing, Massachusetts has a higher unemployment rate than New Hampshire and double the population within a 30 mile radius of the proposed casino. Representatives have asked if the jobs produced by the proposed casino will go to New Hampshire residents or, as in other locations around the country, out of state workers will compete, lowering wages.
 
Even pro-casino lobbyists seemed to disagree, with one stating that a large number of jobs are higher paying, between $40,000 and $60,000 a year (2 to 3 times the actual income of typical Casino workers nationally), while a another pro-casino lobbyist promising that many of the jobs produced by casinos pull low wage workers off of unemployment.
 
Joe Casey, President of the NH Building Trades, described examples in New Hampshire’s past of outside developers coming in with promises of jobs and then they hire out of state contractors.
 
“We need jobs in New Hampshire that families can thrive on” said Jaime Contois, Community Organizer with Casino Free NH.  “SB152 offers no promise of that, and risks making us a hub for busing in out-of-state employees and leave hardworking people pick at scraps.”
 
To hear audio coverage of testimony from the three Subcommittees researching and hearing testimony on the potential impact of the proposed casino in NH go to:
http://gencourt.state.nh.us/house/committees/committee_websites/JointWM_Finance/default.htm
 
 
 
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Teens Robbed of I-pod/Cell Phone

 

MANCHESTER, NH- On Monday, February 11, 2013, at about 6:30 PM, Manchester Police responded to a Clay Street address for a report of a robbery.  On arrival, they met with two 16 year old Manchester teens who reported they had been the victims of a robbery a short time earlier on Somerville Street, near Belmont Street.

 

According to the boys, they were walking in the area when they were approached by two men, one of whom demanded their belongings, indicating his companion had a gun, although no gun was observed.

 

One of the boys surrendered his I-pod Nano and Galaxy S3 cell phone and the men left.  They were last seen leaving the area as passengers in an older, dark colored 4-door sedan operated by a third individual who was possibly wearing a red sweatshirt.

 

The first suspect was described as a white male in his forties, about 6’3” tall with a slender build and dark “stubble” on his face.  He was last seen wearing a dark colored vest and a green “beanie” style hat.  The second man, alleged to have possessed a gun, was described as a clean-shaven white male in his forties with an average height and build.  He was last seen wearing a camouflage shirt and khaki pants.

 

Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Manchester Police Department at 668-8711.  Anonymous tips for cash rewards can be made through Manchester Crimeline at 624-4040 or online at manchestercrimeline.org.